Under pressure following serious losses, the LTTE [Images] has asked India to "stop providing military assistance" to the Sri Lankan government and vowed to take back it de facto political headquarters Kilinochchi.

"India should stop all military assistance to Sri Lankan Army and recognise our struggle for liberation", the LTTE political head B Nadesan told the Tamil bi-weekly 'Junior Vikatan' in an e-mail interview.

On whether India seemed to be close to Sri Lankan government than to the LTTE, Nadesan said "this causes us deep anguish. We have been reiterating that India should understand its true friends are Tamils".

Conceding that the outfit was "upset" over the loss of Kilinochchi, Nadesan said it was however not a "setback" and the LTTE has recaptured the town on earlier occasions.

"This is not the first time that Kilinochchi has been captured by the Lankan Army. We have retrieved Kilinochchi from the army several times and had it under our control for long periods. This is history. We do not see this as a setback", Nadesan said.

"We are of course upset (on losing Kilinochchi). But only buildings have been affected. Our doors to liberation remain strong", he added.

On why the LTTE is not retaliating in many places in the ongoing confrontation with Sri Lankan security forces, which yesterday took over the crucial Elephant Pass, Nadesan said "to withdraw is a war strategy to ensure minimum casualties".

"The Sri Lankan government wants to eliminate the entire Tamil race. But Eelam Tamils are not orphans; the most important message conveyed to this world and the Lankan government is the seven crore Tamils of Tamil Nadu will not remain mute spectators to sufferings of Eelam Tamils",he said.

"We would retrieve the lands and construct our buildings. I would also like to mention that police department, banks and finance departments have been functioning despite being relocated", he claimed.

The LTTE political head said the residents of Kilinochchi who have left the town have been relocated to safer places in Wanni.

"When situation is favourable to us, we would recapture Kilinochchi and let people live there", Nadesan said.

On the situation in areas under LTTE control, Nadesan said "facing the consistent military actions and continuous relocations, our people hope to retrieve the lost lands. All our people have been making huge sacrifices for this cause"

On whether it was possible to get the ban on LTTE revoked, Nadesan said the support rendered "to our struggle by the global Tamil community in unison proves that it is possible".

Nadesan also said that several countries "especially Pakistan and China" have been sending ammunition to Sri Lanka [Images]by ships. "This has been confirmed by media in Colombo," he said.

Asked if the relief supplies sent from India has been distributed in a fair way, Nadesan replied in the affirmative.

"The relief material has been distributed through the International Red Cross society functioning in our regions.

They have been doing the distribution in a fair and complete way. Tamils are our umbilical cord relatives and this timely help will remain etched in our memory," Nadesan added.